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Help Need an Android phone for basic app development testing

Hi guys,

I'm doing some contract work for a software development company mostly in a QA role. 95% of the work we do is web and iOS development, with the occasional hybrid app and very rarely, native Android apps.

We have a hybrid iOS/Android app about to go into development, and I'm going to need an Android phone for testing. I have no need to go out and buy an brand new phone, as it is going to sit in my draw for 45 weeks of a year.

I am just going to pick something up second hand, so I would like some advice on is what would be the best option? It will need to be a phone that I can easily update to the new operating systems as they are released. As I understand it, different manufactures have different timelines on how quickly those updates are available, and some of the older phones will not be able to run Android 7.0?

I also want as little extra manufacturer software baked in on top the Android OS as possible.

The apps we build are not very resource intensive (no games etc), so I don't need super high hardware specs, I just need something that has been released in the last few years I can easily pick up on the second hand market and is easily updateable.

I was hoping you guys would be able to point me in the right direction.

Cheers,
Dean
 
Welcome to AF, @TheFifty9Sound :).

@kate is, as usual, spot-on! :)

Also, your timing is impeccable since Google just today announced their new line of Pixel devices which will replace the Nexus line--that should (hopefully) help out with the price of the older Nexus devices a bit.

The Nexus 6P (which I have) is still a great and top-of-the line device (IMO) but it a year or so old...if you don't need the screen size or performance of the 6P, then the 5x would be less expensive and should likely still suit your needs for another year (Nougat / 7.x is on the 5x, too).

Cheers!
 
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